[Okinawa (Japan) = E-Daily Reporter Yun Junghoon ] There’s always a dilemma when planning an overseas trip. You start by comparing prices and data allowances—whether to buy a local SIM card, activate an eSIM, or use your carrier’s roaming service. I tried out SKT’s roaming service—which secured the largest number of roaming customers in Korea during this Chuseok holiday—and examined its pros and cons.

I experienced SKTelecom(017670) ’s “Baro Roaming” service while traveling in Okinawa, Japan, for four nights and five days from the 22nd to the 26th. In conclusion, the biggest advantage I noticed was that “there was little to worry about.” This is because you can use data, calls, and texts exactly as you do in Korea with your existing number, without having to install a separate SIM card.

I signed up for the “baro 16GB” plan, which costs 59,000 won and is valid for up to 30 days from the moment I start using data. I paid an additional 3,000 won to enroll in “Family Roaming.” Under this plan, when one representative signs up, up to five people—including the representative—can share the data, and family members can also enjoy free calls.

I experienced the convenience the moment I landed at Naha Airport. After agreeing to data roaming immediately upon arrival, I was automatically connected to the SoftBank network without having to swap out a SIM card or install an eSIM. Since SKT has direct contracts with over 500 overseas carriers in 195 countries, if the quality of the automatically connected network is poor, users can manually switch to another partner network.

While driving around the main island of Okinawa in a rental car with Google Maps constantly running and using social media apps like YouTube and Instagram at restaurants and cafes, I experienced speeds comparable to those back home. The fact that I could safely conduct transactions on financial and securities investment apps just as I would in Korea was another notable advantage of roaming.

Just as useful as data was the phone service. After arriving overseas, I opened the A.dot Phone app and saw that it had switched to “Direct Call” mode. Receiving work calls and credit card authorization texts using my Korean number was no different from being back home. However, standard voice roaming—as opposed to Direct Call—may incur additional charges, so you need to be careful when making calls, such as to book a table at a local restaurant.

Over the course of their 4-night, 5-day trip, the couple used approximately 10GB of data—more than half of their 16GB allowance. Even after using up their data, they could continue using the service at a maximum speed of 1Mbps (QoS), and they could also receive an additional 1GB for free through Club T Roaming. It’s also worth noting that the “Baro” plan is valid for up to 30 days, so if you travel abroad again within that period, you can carry over any remaining data. This is a great option for Saramins with a series of short business trips or vacations scheduled within a month.

The membership benefits turned out to be unexpectedly useful. T Membership offers local shopping and sightseeing perks, including discounts at Don Quijote, as well as benefits at Churaumi Aquarium, Okinawa Bus Tours, Nago Pineapple Park, and Ryukyu Mura. There’s also a T Membership Lounge on the 5th floor of the Don Quijote store on Naha’s Kokusai Street, where you can access free Wi-Fi and tourist information, and use the luggage storage service at a discounted rate.

The benefits continue uninterrupted from before departure all the way through to your return home. With Club T Roaming, you can enjoy discounts on airport lounges, travel insurance, and airport food and beverages before departure. Upon returning home, you can choose one of the following benefits: 5,000 won in Karrot Points, or a 5,000 won discount on purchases of 10,000 won or more at Paris Baguette, Twosome Place, Baekmidang, Yogiyo, Tim Hortons, and other participating locations. This time, I chose the 5,000 won Karrot Pay benefit. Since it can be used at convenience stores and other locations that accept QR payments, it wasn’t hard to use it up.

When traveling abroad, it makes sense to choose between an eSIM, a physical SIM card, or roaming depending on your purpose. In particular, if you’re traveling with family rather than alone, “Family Roaming” is a solid choice in terms of reliability and value for money. In fact, since its launch in 2023, SKT’s Family Roaming has been used by a cumulative total of 5.05 million people, and it has been so well-received that 78% of households using T Roaming have chosen Family Roaming.

An SKT spokesperson stated, “The fact that customers can continue using their existing numbers for data and calls without having to swap out their SIM cards is what roaming customers appreciate most,” adding, “We will continue to expand Family Roaming and T-Membership partnership benefits so that customers can use our communication services worry-free even while abroad.”